Driving mechanism for washing-machines.



DE WITT 0. MAKEAN. DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 8EPT.28,19( )8.

v Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

BY ATTOHNEYS WITNESSES A .9. M

DE WITT O. MAKBAN. DRIVING MBGHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1908.

AQZ'TOFNE rs uninio DE WIIT OTIS 1r pg rnmr l YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F FIFTY ONE-= OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHINGJ IACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 28, 1988.

llatented Mar. .1, 1910.

Serial No. assess.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, DE Wrr'r O. MAKEAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Driving Mechanism for Washing-lalachines and the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved driving gear for washing machines, churns and the like machines, and arranged to turn the cylinder or other part of the machine alternately in a forward and backward direction, and to yielding bring the cylinder to a stop at the end of each turn, thus protecting the working parts against injury and providing easy running of the machine.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claim.

A practical. embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement as applied to a washing machine for use in steam laundries and large households, the section being 011 the line. 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same and showing the pinion in section; Fig. 3 is a cross section of the same on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; and Fig. 4. is a similar view of the same on the line 4- 1; of Fig. 1.

The casing A of the washing machine shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, consists essentially of a stationary casing A, containing a drum or cylinder B, having its shaft C journaled in the ends of the casing A. On the outer end of the shaft C is secured a segmental gear wheel D in the form of a lantern wheel and having its teeth D in mesh with the teeth E of a pinion E, secured on the free end of a swing shaft F, having a pivotal connection G with the main or driving shaft H, journaled in a suitable hearing I on a bracket I attached to the casing A. A pulley J secured on the main shaft H is connected by a belt K with other machinery, for imparting a continuous rotary motion to the main shaft H in the direction of the arrow a, thus also rotating the swing shaft F in l l l l l l l l l l l l l l the same direction. The swing shaft F is mounted to turn and to swing in a horizontally elongated bearing 1 formed on or attached to the bracket I, the bearing being disposed radially relatively to the gear wheel D, to allow the pinion E to mesh with the teeth D either at the outside or inside thereof, with a view to rotate the gear wheel D alternately in opposite directions, as hereinafter more fully described.

On the periphery of the gear wheel D is arranged an outwardly-extending radial arm L, adapted to alternately move in contact with the ends of a coil spring N held on a support 0 attached to the casing A. The arm L and the spring N are so arrange relative to the end teeth D and D of the gear wheel 1), that when the arm L is swung into engagement with the bottom end of the spring N, then the end tooth D is in mesh with the pinion Eg and as the spring N offers resistance to the further turning of the gear wheel D rotating in arrow 2), it is evident that the pinlon E, rotating continually in the direction of the arrow at, rolls on and around the tooth D and passes to the inside of the gear wheel As the pinion keeps on rotating, the motion of the gear wheel D is reversed, that is, the gear wheel D is caused to rotate in the inverse direction of the arrow 6. The gear wheel D travels in this direction until the arm L moves in engagement with the top of the spring N, and the end tooth D is in mesh with the pinion E. *vVhen this takes place, the resistance of the spring N to the further turning of the gear wheel D in the inverse direction of the arrow Z), causes the pinion to roll on and around the tooth D in an outward direction, until the pinion is outside of the tooth, and a further rotation of the pinion N now causes the gear wheel D to rotate in the direction of the arrow (9. Thus by the arrangement described the yielding stop for the gear wheel D and formed by the spring N and stop arm L, serves to take up all undue jar, and at the same time causes a shifting of the pinion E and its shaft F, for reversing the motion of the gear wheel D.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the tub or other part of the machine is alternately rotated in a forward and backward direction, and the part is brought yieldingly to a stop at the end of each turn, thus takthe directiolrof the l y protecting the workmg parts against injury.

Having thus described claim as new and desire to Patent:

A driving mechanism, g shaft, a swingshaft my invention, I secure by Letters 1 and 1n mesh with the sald pinion, an

arm I turnin g with the said segmental gear wheel,

a spring, and a fixed support carrying the sald spring, either end 01' sald sprmg being in the path of the said arm.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thls speclficatlon 1n the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DE VVITT OTIS MAKEAN.

Witnesses GERALD G. SOHENCK, R. BRUCE BAKER. 

